MOUNTAIN VIEW FIRE UPDATE

Saturday, August 31, 2019

SIZE: 2,800 acres
CONTAINMENT: 25% contained
CAUSE: Lightning
FIRE LOCATION: 7 miles SE of Molt, Yellowstone Co.
OWNERSHIP: Private and State Trust Lands
PROTECTION: Yellowstone County

RESOURCES:
25 Engines
6 Water Tenders
3 Hot Shot Crews (20 people per crew)
2 Helicopters
3 Heavy Equipment

FIRE SITUATION:

Today fire resources are working to achieve a ‘three-chain’ standard for control, equivalent to 198 feet, reaching from the perimeter of the fire inward. Crews are evaluating and initiating suppression repair and decommissioning fire lines that were laid during the initial attack. Helicopters and crews are on alert to respond to any new fire starts.

The fire had no growth over the evening and is continuing to hold at ~2,800 acres. No structures have burned.

There are currently staff and crews from DNRC, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Blackfeet Nation, private and other local resources onsite.

The Mountain View Fire was reported to dispatch Wednesday, August 28, 2019 and is burning in the Buffalo Trail area southeast of the town of Molt. The fire area is comprised of steep rocky terrain with homes along the southwest perimeter.

When crews responded Wednesday, windy and dry conditions caused the fire to spread. Thursday, fire resources were successful in keeping the fire at bay. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s (DNRC) County Assist Team (CAT) arrived Thursday to assist and provide logistical support. Incident Commander David Hamilton and team will be on scene and managing the fire through the weekend. Friday, all engines were on scene and assigned to different ‘divisions’ (areas) of the fire.

EVACUATIONS:

No evacuations or warnings are in place. Buffalo Trail Road, north of Lipp Road is open to residents and fire traffic only. Evacuation notices were given to residents along portions of the Buffalo Trail Road Wednesday evening, but they were able to return home on Thursday. There are approximately 150 homes in the area. The public is discouraged from traveling in the area due to fire traffic and safety concerns.

FIRE INFORMATION:
Crystal Beckman and Kate Wilson, Public Information Officers, County Assist Team, MT DNRC, 406-209-8027, dnrcat.team@gmail.com. For social media updates and posts, please see Yellowstone County Emergency & General Services Facebook page.

MOUNTAIN VIEW FIRE UPDATE

Friday, August 30, 2019

SIZE: 2,800 acres

CONTAINMENT: 20% contained
CAUSE: Lightning
FIRE LOCATION: 7 miles SE of Molt, Yellowstone Co.
OWNERSHIP: Private and State Trust Lands
PROTECTION: Yellowstone County

RESOURCES:
24 Engines
6 Water Tenders

3 Hot Shot Crews (20 people per crew)

2 Helicopters

4 Dozers

FIRE SITUATION:

The Mountain View Fire was reported to dispatch Wednesday, August 28, 2019 and is burning in the Buffalo Trail area southeast of the town of Molt. Local, state, and federal firefighting resources arrived and immediately started working together to safely contain the spread of the fire. Air resources supported firefighters by providing water and retardant where needed. The fire area is comprised of steep rocky terrain with homes along the southwest perimeter.

The fire had no growth over the evening and is holding at 2,800 acres. No structures have burned.

When crews responded Wednesday, wind and dry conditions caused the fire to spread. Thursday, fire resources were successful in keeping the fire from spreading. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s (DNRC) County Assist Team (CAT) arrived Thursday to assist local firefighters and provide logistical support. Incident Commander, David Hamilton and team will be on scene and managing the fire until further notice.

Today fire resources are using the cooler temperatures to build and improve fire lines, continue to hold the fire, further secure the perimeter and begin to initiate mop up activities. Helicopters and crews are on alert to respond to any new fire starts. Additional resources are en route and will continue to arrive throughout the day.

EVACUATIONS:

No evacuations or warnings are in place currently. Buffalo Trail Road, north of Lipp Road is only open to residents and fire traffic. Evacuation notices were given to residents along portions of the Buffalo Trail Road Wednesday evening, but have since been allowed to return to their homes. There are approximately 150 homes in this area.

Thank you to the Yellowstone County Emergency Services, the Sherriff’s Office and the Montana Highway Patrol who assisted with evacuations and are currently staffing the road block. The public is discouraged from traveling in the area due to fire traffic and safety concerns.

FIRE INFORMATION:
Crystal Beckman and Kate Wilson, Public Information Officers, County Assist Team, MT DNRC, 406-209-8027, dnrcat.team@gmail.com. For social media updates and posts, please see Yellowstone County Emergency & General Services Facebook page.

The R1 Ranch Fire is located on BLM land approximately 13 miles northeast of Susanville, California. It was started by lightning on August 28, 2019. California Interagency Incident Management Team will transfer command of the fire back to local resources at 8 p.m. tonight.

The fire has remained within containment lines for the last few shifts, and crews are concentrating today on suppression repair and mopping up the last few isolated hot spots. Afternoon winds may cause unburned islands of vegetation within the fire perimeter to ignite and burn; these are well within containment lines but are being carefully monitored by firefighters.

The weather today is expected to be similar to yesterday, with gusty southwest winds developing this evening and even poorer humidity recovery than last night. Buildups will creep back into the area late tomorrow afternoon, with isolated showers and thunderstorms possible Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Residents and visitors are reminded that firefighters are still working on the R1 Ranch Fire. Please use caution when traveling through or in the fire area.

The Temporary Flight Restriction in place for the R1 Ranch Fire will be lifted as of 8 p.m. tonight, September 2, 2019.

The R-1 Ranch Fire is burning on BLM land approximately 13 miles northeast of Susanville, California. It was started by lightning on August 28, 2019. California Interagency Incident Management Team 16 took command of the fire on August 31, 2019.

The fire remained within containment lines again overnight, with very little heat showing. Crews will work today to extinguish any residual heat sources that could threaten containment. They will also begin suppression repair along constructed fire lines. Residents and visitors in the area may see smoke within containment lines as remaining vegetation continues to ignite and burn. Where practical, firefighters are working to protect these unburned islands to preserve Sage-Grouse habitat.

Weather today is expected to remain hot and dry, with very poor humidity recovery overnight. A chance of lightning is predicted for the fire area on Wednesday.

Hunters and recreational users are reminded that fire personnel are still actively working on fire suppression and repair. Please use extra caution and watch for firefighters and equipment in the area.

A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in place over the fire area today.

SUSANVILLE, Calif. The R-1 Ranch Fire is burning on BLM land approximately 13 miles northeast of Susanville, California. It was started by lightning on August 28, 2019. California Interagency Incident Management Team 16 assumed command of the fire at 7 a.m. this morning. The fire stayed relatively inactive overnight, with all containment lines holding well. Today, firefighters will continue to mop up and patrol fire lines, and will remain prepared to respond to any new fire activity. Smoke may be visible inside the containment area as unburned areas of vegetation continues to ignite and burn. The weather today is expected to be hot and dry, with low humidity recovery overnight. Thunderstorms may return to the area by mid-week. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire. Residents and visitors are reminded that Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are not permitted in or around fire areas. Remember, if you fly, we can’t!

The fire area closure order for the Smith knob Fire was terminated on September 13, 2019. There are no closures related to this fire. Visitors to the area should use caution regarding the potential for falling snags along roads and trails throughout the fire area.

Summary of Thursday's Operations

A local Type 4 Incident Management Team shadowed the Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team 2 that had been assigned to the fire since August 26. Each section chief shared their efforts and knowledge with incoming personnel in preparation for today’s transfer of command back to the local unit.

There was minimal fire behavior with smoldering in the duff and around stump holes. Crews continued to monitor and mop up near containment lines and around structures to prevent unwanted fire spread. Heavy equipment is working on suppression repair in the burned area.

Today's Operations

A local Type 4 Incident Management Team took command of the fire at 7:00 a.m. this morning. Approximately a dozen fire personnel from the previous Incident Management Team will remain here and assist with the transition until early next week.

With fire activity decreased to minimal fire behavior, regular fire information sources will be scaled back. This is the final daily update that will be prepared for the Pedro Mountain fire. The fire’s InciWeb site will remain online but will only be updated if there is significant information to share. The InciWeb site has archived copies of the previous updates, announcements and maps as well as an interactive progression map posted on the home page.

Closures/Public Safety

All evacuations and road closures related to the Pedro Mountain fire were lifted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4.

Re-entry precautions are available, detailing travel considerations, hazards, and restrictions. A number of helpful, printable information sheets on tips for returning to a fire-affected area can be found on the Pedro Mountain fire’s InciWeb site under the announcements tab at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/6549/50868/.

Summary of Wednesday's Operations

The increase in acreage shown for today is the result of a flight yesterday by a multi-mission aircraft (MMA) over the fire. The crew onboard used infrared technology to get a more precise measurement of the fire’s size, which was shown to be 23,408 acres.

While the fire is now at 82% containment, there are still some hot spots in the southern section that crews worked to mop up. In other areas, structure protection equipment no longer needed, such as sprinklers and hoseline, were being hauled out and prepared for use in other fires.

Today's Operations
Today, a local Type 4 incident management team will be on hand to shadow the work of the Wyoming Type 3 Incident Management Team currently managing the fire. Each section leader working on the fire will meet with the person who will assume their duties. This shadowing is in anticipation of a transfer of command to a Type 4 team, which will take place Friday morning.

Closures /Public Safety

After ten days of being displaced by the Pedro Mountain Fire, residents of Pedro Mountain Estates, Pedro Mountain Ranch Road, and Cardwell Ranch were allowed to return home yesterday afternoon. Evacuations were lifted at 2:00 pm, along with all road closures that had been in effect along Natrona County Road 407/Carbon County 291 and west of the highway to Pathfinder Reservoir.

There were many positive interactions between returning homeowners and incident management team members. Many people expressed their thanks for the efforts of the firefighters, who worked so hard to protect their homes and properties. Some residents were also surprised and pleased to see there is still some green around their homes — sections of yard crews managed to keep from being burned, despite the significant amount of damage caused by the fire.

Re-entry precautions are available, detailing travel considerations, hazards, and restrictions. A number of helpful, printable information sheets on tips for returning to a fire-affected area can be found on the Pedro Mountain fire’s Inciweb site under the announcements tab at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/6549/50868/.

Coming home after a wildfire can be a relief when there is no visual damage to your home or property. However, a number of precautions should be taken for impacts you may not even see. Whether it's cleaning retardant off the side of a building, turning a gas value back on, or taking a walk in the woods near your home, there are some considerations to ensure your safety. A few resources are listed below.

Click on the link provided below to watch the fire's progression from August 24 through September 4 through an interactive map. Map provided courtesy of Pedro Mountain Fire GIS Specialist Chris McCollister.

The map may take a moment to load: https://arcg.is/1W9HzX